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Dictionary Now Has New Words, Like Teabagging
A Rose By Any Other Name Might Make You Angry
Safire Would've Had A Field Day...
What Words Would You Send To The Word Graveyard?
Life's Work
"Ms." Dates Back To 1901
Sic: Is The Econnomy Creating A Genneration Of Speling Bee-Otches?
Is Your Child The Slow Reader?
Word Of The Day

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Flackette Goes Retro
11/17/09

In reply to Dictionary Now Has New Words, Like Teabagging
Yeah, when I hear "teabagging" my mind goes to fraternity boys, not wingnut rallies. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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PeteRR
11/16/09

In reply to Dictionary Now Has New Words, Like Teabagging
The people who attended the tea parties didn't, and don't, call themselves "teabaggers". The Left, abetted by the media, did. It's unfair to the average person who attended these events and very clearly shows the juvenile attitude of people who clearly think they are better than all of us proles.

It is the equivalent of a bully saying, "Why are you punching yourself?" while simultaneously holding their victim in a headlock and forcing their own fist to hit them in the head. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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Jenloveshercurves promoted this comment PeteRR was starred PeteRR was unstarred

Jenloveshercurves
11/16/09

@PeteRR: I would think making a juvenile joke about "teabagging" (and when they first started with this nonsense there were press releases that said people should send teabags to the Whitehouse and "teabag" the president, so really the joke absolutely was going to be made especially because I remember spitting my own morning tea out of my nose when reading the press release) would not illustrate that they think themselves better than someone else, but are themselves hard-working regular folk who love a good ball joke when one so rightfully has to be made. Nothing like ball jokes to illustrate that you are definitely not high brow. The idea that the Fox-news frenzied groups who started this can't take a joke makes it all the more hilarious. Sometimes you have to laugh at yourself and your country. Teabagging jokes are definitely those times. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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Bitingpika
11/16/09

@PeteRR: I call parody troll. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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PeteRR
11/16/09

@Jenloveshercurves: I'd like to see the press release where they say teabag the President. And it's only funny if the tea partiers actually called themselves teabaggers, otherwise it's just offensive.

Accusing someone of cluelessness is only funny if they are acting cluelessly. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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Artemis47
11/16/09

@PeteRR: Since you asked for evidence, I feel obligated to oblige. From the site reteaparty.com, I present a serious post titled "Tea Bag the Fools in D.C."

[www.reteaparty.com]

Furthermore, I submit Wikipedia's take on the subject:

"In February, David Weigel of The Washington Independent photographed a protester holding a sign that read 'Tea Bag the Liberal Dems Before They Tea Bag You.' The verb 'tea bag' is used by others including Fox News Reporter Griff Jenkins and reteaparty.com where it is used self-referentially. Salon.com, however, pointed out that 'teabagging' has long had another meaning."

[en.wikipedia.org] #newoxfordamericandictionary
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PeteRR
11/16/09

@Artemis47: So one blog post and one sign equal millions of protesters being labeled "teabaggers". Let me reiterate, where is the word teabagger used by these protesters? Or is the joke so good we can't let reality get in the way. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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Jenloveshercurves
11/17/09

@PeteRR: I do recall a sweet, older gentlemen in one CNN report hanging teabags on his hat and encouraging everyone to "teabag" the president by sending teabags to him at the Whitehouse. I'm sorry, ball jokes in a world where "that's what she said" jokes are commonplace even at work are bound to happen. I think you're getting your panties in a twist over nothing. Also, your name is PeteRR and you're commenting on ball jokes, perrrrfect. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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remedios
11/17/09

@PeteRR: Of course they don't call themselves that. It's a joke, albeit juvenile (and yet also better?? no, just juvenile, low-brow humor). They set up the joke and others went in for the punchline. Take your lumps and move on.

(Your analogy is ridiculous, unless the person walked into the headlock voluntarily. It would be more like someone saying, "Hey, check out how I can turn myself around while in this headlock," then once in said headlock, the headlock holder gives the person a noogie. Maybe the guy wasn't asking for a noogie, but he set himself up for it, and it's relatively harmless (or at least mine were), unlike actually punching someone.) #newoxfordamericandictionary
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PolitixRoxy
11/17/09

@PeteRR: I think they brought it upon themselves with their tea-bag campaign. They sent in tea bags to their elected officials. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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KingCouth
11/17/09

@PeteRR: Their press release instructed supporters to "teabag the White House".

[www.buzzfeed.com]

Around the 1:58 minute mark. And, this is Fox News. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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Kali Mama
11/17/09

@PeteRR: "Accusing someone of cluelessness is only funny if they are acting cluelessly."

Are we talking about the same Republican party? #newoxfordamericandictionary
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Jack_Burton
11/16/09

In reply to Dictionary Now Has New Words, Like Teabagging
Well, now. I'm going to have to cite precedent on this one... Cioffi v. Averill Park High School, et al. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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pantsless economist...access RESTORED
11/16/09

In reply to Dictionary Now Has New Words, Like Teabagging
Too bad they only got half of the teabagging definition. I guess I shall have to turn to my other trusted source: Urban Dictionary. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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Spiderra
11/16/09

In reply to Dictionary Now Has New Words, Like Teabagging
I made the mistake of asking my senior women's studies students about the definition of teabagging (within the context of a discussion about current events). I had heard about the whole double entendre, but was just as naive as the teabaggers themselves. I guess I wasn't expecting quite that explicit of an explanation (or I never would have asked).

So the question becomes: who's more naive? The 33-year old feminist prof in her ivory tower or the conservative activists protesting taxation? And I thought I was just as hip as my 22-year old students...silly me. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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bess marvin, girl detective promoted this comment Spiderra was starred Spiderra was unstarred

msmoneypenny
11/16/09

In reply to Dictionary Now Has New Words, Like Teabagging
Cockbib was robbed, I tell you. Such an injustice. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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MalinaMango
11/16/09

In reply to Dictionary Now Has New Words, Like Teabagging
A zombie bank is one of those things that sounds way more fun than it is.

Also, tramp stamp? What is this, 1998? #newoxfordamericandictionary
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Booksaretoo
11/16/09

@MalinaMango: What is a "zombie bank" anyway? #newoxfordamericandictionary
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MalinaMango
11/16/09

@Booksaretoo: Apparently: "a financial institution whose liabilities are greater than its assets, but which continues to operate because of government support."

I was envisioning a safe place to keep my zombies when I'm not using them. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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msridiculous447
11/16/09

@MalinaMango: The government only backs you up to $250,000 worth of zombies, so you have to make sure you spread them around. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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Dauphine
11/16/09

@msridiculous447: Well, that's just silly. Here in Canada, we have a giant supply of zombies that are given to everyone. There's just a waiting list sometimes, though. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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curiousgeorgiana promoted this comment Dauphine was starred Dauphine was unstarred

msridiculous447
11/16/09

@Dauphine: Socialism at its worst!!!! #newoxfordamericandictionary
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Lin-Z [linguist on duty]
11/16/09

In reply to Dictionary Now Has New Words, Like Teabagging
Interesting. I usually say "defriend" rather than "unfriend." Apparently, I am in the minority. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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Crackers In Bed
11/16/09

@Lin-Z [linguist on duty]: i also say defriend - i've never heard anyone say unfriend. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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sumerfish
11/16/09

@Crackers In Bed: I say defriend when referring to situations IRL, and unfriend when it refers to social networking. The distinction is, I will unfriend you for posting annoying messages (I don't care that if you are a cereal you would be BooBerry) but I won't defriend you. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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Crackers In Bed promoted this comment sumerfish was starred sumerfish was unstarred

Crackers In Bed
11/16/09

@sumerfish: ah - that distinction makes perfect sense :) #newoxfordamericandictionary
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Dauphine
11/16/09

In reply to Dictionary Now Has New Words, Like Teabagging
The only dictionary of English is the OED. Anything else is a pale, starving substitute. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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Jenna promoted this comment Dauphine was starred Dauphine was unstarred

curiousgeorgiana
11/16/09

In reply to Dictionary Now Has New Words, Like Teabagging
Aww... they only approved the crazy half of teabagging. The other half has more longevity. #newoxfordamericandictionary
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rah29
10/28/09

In reply to A Rose By Any Other Name Might Make You Angry
Do any of you feel different around different accents, even within English or your native tongue? I have Wandering Accent Syndrome as a result of being a transatlantic hobo for a lot of my life. I feel far more lyrical and relaxed and even fanciful in the presence of Irish accents (especially given that my accent tends to switch to reflect the one I'm hearing most). The Brits make me feel self-conscious, and Americans make me feel businesslike or direct. I can't be a poet in an American accent and I need a protective layer of irony when I sound British. As for the Irish... well let's just say I feel very much like I can't do a lick of work with an Irish accent, but I can certainly drink and rip the piss out of people.

ETA: I will say that I am much, much funnier, and much meaner, in an Irish accent than I am in any other!
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Edited by rah29 at 10/28/09 8:05 PM rah29 was starred rah29 was unstarred

casi nadie (loves MCC forever)
10/28/09

In reply to A Rose By Any Other Name Might Make You Angry
I've been studying Spanish for half my life, and portuguese for the last couple of years. I've never particularly analyzed how vowel sounds make me feel, but I have analyzed the different instances of vowel sounds. Portuguese has many more sounds than Spanish, and it's definitely more entertaining to learn (although it's fucking my Spanish the hell up). #languageandemotion
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missteenwordpower
10/28/09

In reply to A Rose By Any Other Name Might Make You Angry
American-ly (or U.S.ishly), I really only speak English, with six years of Spanish and one year of Italian classes rolling around in my head not doing much. I did grow up in southern California, however (where every other street and city has a Spanish name), so I pronounce Spanish well, even if I can't say much with it. I've recently moved to Austin, which being in Texas also a Spanish influence, made evident in its street and city names. Except in Texas, unlike in California, they are ALL pronounced in English. So, in California, "Cabrillo" is "cab-REE-oh"; "La Jolla" is "la HOY-ah", and so on--in Texas, "Guadalupe" is "guad-a-LOOP"; "San Jacinto" is "san juh-SINtoh".

This absolutely sets my teeth on edge, nails-on-a-chalkboard style, every time I hear it. I love the English language: I love how enormous and acquisitive it is, I love the way it sounds, and I've never heard significantly more music in any Romance language than I have in effective spoken English. But shoehorning that squeaky nasal "ay" into words that call for a Spanish "ah"? THAT is ugly. And it makes me crabby.

Rant ended.
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rah29 promoted this comment Edited by missteenwordpower at 10/28/09 5:18 PM missteenwordpower was starred

rah29
10/28/09

@missteenwordpower: As a French speaker though, I always struggle with whether or not to pronounce French names correctly, especially in restaurants. Every cell in my body screams to pronounce 'croissant' properly, but I don't want to sound like an utter ponce! #languageandemotion
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Everything MidnightBikeRide does is a balloon.
10/28/09

In reply to A Rose By Any Other Name Might Make You Angry
This isn't about the sounds themselves, but NPR had a great piece on how the grammar of your native language affects the way you see the world :
[www.npr.org] #languageandemotion
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IndigoCharm
10/28/09

In reply to A Rose By Any Other Name Might Make You Angry
Russian is my first language, and sometimes I do act slightly differently when speaking it, but this is generally because Russian culture and attitudes are very different than English ones. Or at least American ones. I've found that people in Russia tend to be less about politeness and more about getting to the point of things, and the sense of humour is different, so different words and word combinations are considered amusing than here. I think saying that certain languages sound more "angry", or "sensual", or "happy" is just a comparison to what you grew up with (for an example, when I first started learning English, it sounded lazy and "curly" to me.) I, for one, don't feel anymore angry or sexy than usual when I speak Russian. It's just that bringing the more Russian side of my personality into how I speak English simply doesn't work unless the other person is also a Russian speaking in English -- Americans either get offended or confused. #languageandemotion
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Alys Brangwin can't stop the beat promoted this comment IndigoCharm was starred IndigoCharm was unstarred

Alys Brangwin has a huge talent
10/28/09

@IndigoCharm: Russian has so many vowels and crazy consonants grouped together. I love the way it sounds, and it also includes my favorite sound that we just don't have in English, and that's the "zh" sound. #languageandemotion
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IndigoCharm
11/01/09

@Alys Brangwin can't stop the beat: Oh yeah -- I was extremely confused when I first started learning English because there is no zh, sh, or ts (as a single letter anyway). Then again, I was also surprised to find out that none of my family in Russia can pronounce "th", whereas I never gave it a second thought. I guess that comes with learning a language early on. #languageandemotion
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IndigoCharm
11/02/09

@sweet_communist: ( Your comment isn't showing up but I found it in your activity) Heh, I've definitely noticed that anytime I've watched crime shows such as CSI -- they'd have some evil Russian mafia leader plotting against the whole American nation. Their attempt at Russian is hilarious, though -- you'd think they'd actually hire a Russian actor, but I guess they were all too offended.
Unfortunately, it seems the Cold War mentality is quite persistent -- when I went to school there were some people that asked me if I'm a "commie or something". Nevermind that I was born just as the Communism ended. Of course, those people also asked me if I lived with polar bears, so I guess I shouldn't have expected much of them... #languageandemotion
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